Libraries on a reading mission

Event organiser, Yandiswa Pearls from Khulani library with Asamkeli Ndzuzo, Mbalemtle Bhotile and Ayema Nkona from Luleka Primary School reading a story on a laptop.

Khayelitsha libraries have intensified their efforts to emphasise the importance of reading and to ignite a passion for books among the youth.

On Friday November 23, the libraries held a two-hour reading and storytelling session.

Event organiser, Yandiswa Pearls from Khulani library, said they had realised that they should work more closely together if they wanted to achieve their desired outcomes and goals for these programmes.

Ms Pearls said they had studied previous programmes and assessed their strengths and weaknesses before developing the latest programme which had been specifically tailored to make reading and storytelling fun.

But unfortunately, she said, parents were not playing their role in encouraging their children to read.

She said reading helped children to improve their vocabulary and perform better at school.

“Reading is vital in children’s lives. Storytelling at homes must be a daily thing. Books must be visible at homes. Parents must encourage their children to read. It is through reading that children could get knowledge and information, “ she said.

Indakhe Nomlamla said he had had fun and learnt a lot from the programme and hoped it would be run regularly.

He said he was going to
ask his parents to read books to him every night before he went to bed.

City of Cape Town head of library and information services, Jacqueline Kwezi, said they
had also discovered that many children were reading without understanding and that
they wanted the children to improve their communication skills and make reading a daily hobby.

She, however, stressed the importance of parents and community at large playing their part.

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Event organiser, Yandiswa Pearls from Khulani library with Asamkeli Ndzuzo, Mbalemtle Bhotile and Ayema Nkona from Luleka Primary School reading a story on a laptop.

City of Cape Town area head of library and information services, Jacqueline Kwezi, talks about the importance of inculcating a culture of reading among children.